Before the New Kids arrived, we were concerned about keeping them away from Reserve Cat's food, and vice versa. As it turns out, a combination of strategic food dish location and hyper-vigilance prevented this. Nothing daunted, they have started eating the dogs' food, with consequent impact on their bowels.
(Just to see what would happen I put a dish of kitten chow next to a dish of kibble. They went straight for the kibble. They think they're very small German Shepherds, maybe?)
We feed Batdog and Chunk in the morning and the evening. They are both snackers and nibble at their food throughout the day. Hiding their dishes from the kittens isn't going to work.
Help?
wow. we've always had the reverse problem, keeping dog out of cat food. however, we did take care of a kitty with bordatella recently. trying to get him to take the medication with food was tricky. we tried dehydrating canned tuna and sprinkling that on top of everything. the smell and taste was strong enough to mask the meds, and get to thru his crusted up nose for him to smell.
ReplyDeletemaybe something like that would make the kitten chow more desirable? so long as they could fight off reserve cat.
Haven't tried it but have seen microchip activated food bowls!!! We had 4 cats on 4 different diets - one that was an all day grazer and one that was a diabetic! I gradually had to work toward 2x day feeding.... might try using Stop That (aerosol can/spray that makes. Loud hissing sound to deter cats....be viligentnfor awhile in using it when they go for the kibble and they may learn to avoid it. Mine hate it so much I just pick up the can and they scoot! Or I can sometimes mimic the hiss and get results-unless the 2 males are after the sr male-then it's Katie bar the door there will be hair hissing and all hell breaking loose!
ReplyDeleteHave you asked the vet if there is something you can add to the dog bowls to discourage the little girls? We have only had cats so that is the limit of my advice.
ReplyDeleteOur resident cat will occasionally try Blazer's kibble, but the pieces are too large and hard for him to manage. Can you try a different brand of dog food. (We use Authority, from PetSmart, for what it's worth.)
ReplyDeleteThose little girls must have razor sharp teeth to eat dog kibble. Bigger, harder kibble? Food dispensers for dogs? Flavour of dog food that the girls don't like?
ReplyDeleteThis is a hard one.
I have always had the opposite problem, trying to keep the dogs out of the cat food. Easily solved by putting the kitty kibble where the puppers can't get it, like feeding them on top of a table. Of course, there is not many places a cat can't get so trying the opposite for the dogs is not so easy. I don't see where day and night guarding of the dog dish is going to be practical. Could you use timed food bowls for the dogs? they only open up at certain times.
ReplyDelete